1914 – A CdV photo shows Martha Minna Rößler (1892-1978) in Wilster, Germany. Photo: Ludwig Behning
The story behind the image
The other day I shared a photo showing Franz Otto Rößler. This is his first daughter, Martha Minna Rößler, photographed at the age of 22 years. At this point in time she was engaged to Karl Emil Arnold Friederich. The ring on her left hand is a prominent hint.
Martha was born in 1892 in Lütjenburg in Northern Germany where the Rößler family lived at the time. The family moved on to Plön (in 1893) and finally to Heiligenhafen (in 1896) where she grew up. She even got married to Karl Friederich here in July 1915. Karl was born in Meldorf close to the North Sea but had moved to Krempe to become the treasurer of the town. However, they got married in Heiligenhafen where Martha’s parents lived. In 1978, she died in Glückstadt.
This photo is part of an awesome photo collection that I acquired recently. It consists of 30+ images showing the Rößler family from Saxonia and Northern Germany, including pictures of each child. Extensive handwritten notes on the back of the photos add and preserve context. These notes appear to be quite accurate with just minor deviations here and there.
I especially like the composition of the image. The backgrund is slightly blurred, which puts the focus on the person. The ring is a subtle yet clearly visible sign of Minnas engagement. The major light streams in from behind Minna on her right. The contrast is balanced out (probably by a reflector) from Minnas left. A timeless illumination technique.
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Photographer Ludwig Behning was born in Neumünster in 1876. He seemed to be attracted to photography early in his life and completed his education by working in several German photo studios. In 1903 he fulfilled his dream of running his own portrait studio and took over the studio of Carl Kuskop in Wilster. At first, he rented the business but in 1907 he fully acquired it, including the real estate. His son Werner (born in 1909) took over the business later. Ludwig Behning died in October 1951 at the age of 74 years in Wilster, survived by his wife Louise and son Werner. There is a lot more to be discovered about Ludwig Behning here.
The high resolution image
| Capture Date | c. 1914 |
| Photographer | Ludwig Behning, Wilster |
| Location | Wilster, Germany |
| Image Source | Albumen print from a glass negative, mounted, CdV format (c. 6.2 x 9.2 cm) |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 5768 x 8655 Pixels |
| Copyright | Photo ©Ludwig Behning Scan © Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
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